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At least 109 records · Page 6

GnuForPlot Graphics

Gnuforplot Graphics is a Fortran90 program designed to generate two and three dimensional plots of data on a personal computer. The program uses calls to the open source code Gnuplot to generate the plots. Two Fortran90 programs have been written to use the Gnuplot graphics capabilities. The first program, named Plotsetup.f90 reads data from output files created by either the Stadium or LeachXS/Orchestra modeling codes and saves the data in arrays for plotting. This program then calls Gnuforplot which takes the data array along with user specified parameters to set plot specifications and issues Gnuplot commands that generate the screen plots. The user can view the plots and optionally save copies in jpeg format.

Flach, GregoryP.↗

Dual Energy Storage Ring Project

The overall goals of the project were to evaluate the possibility of an electron cooler based on the novel two-energy ring idea, by designing a suitable ring, and by simulating actual ring performance characteristics with the accelerator physics and design program ELEGANT. Ring parameters were first chosen to be consistent with Jefferson Lab’s EIC design. About mid-way through the project, parameters were adjusted to be consistent with a cooler design for the new EIC project at Brookhaven National Lab.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Intro to HPC Bootcamp: Engaging New Communities Through Energy Justice Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is a long-standing leader in research and development of high-performance computing (HPC) in the pursuit of science. However, we face daunting challenges in fostering a robust and diverse HPC workforce. Basic HPC is not typically taught at early stages of students' academic careers, and the capacity and knowledge of HPC at many institutions are limited. Even so, such topics are prerequisites for advanced training programs, internships, graduate school, and ultimately for careers in HPC. To help address this challenge, as part of the DOE Exascale Computing Project's Broadening Participation Initiative, we recently launched the Introduction to HPC Training and Workforce Pipeline Program to provide accessible introductory material on HPC, scalable AI, and analytics. We describe the Intro to HPC Bootcamp, an immersive program designed to engage students from underrepresented groups as they learn foundational HPC skills. Here, the program takes a novel approach to HPC training by turning the traditional curriculum upside down. Instead of focusing on technology and its applications, the bootcamp focuses on energy justice to motivate the training of HPC skills through project-based pedagogy and real-life science stories. Additionally, the bootcamp prepares students for internships and future careers at DOE labs. The first bootcamp, hosted by the advanced computing facilities at Argonne, Lawrence Berkeley, and Oak Ridge National Labs and organized by Sustainable Horizons Institute, took place in August 2023.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Putting Data to Work (Final Technical Report)

The Putting Data to Work project was designed to pilot and summarize the use of building energy performance data to improve energy efficiency program design and delivery in DC and NYC. By doing this, the project aimed to expand the market for energy efficiency in multifamily and commercial buildings by producing a toolkit of resources for other jurisdictions to replicate the successes found in the project cities.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Dataset for: Rooftop solar and energy storage programs can remediate energy-limiting behaviors of energy insecure households

Energy insecurity affects most low-income households in the United States. Energy insecurity, which is characterized by a household’s inability to afford their energy needs, often leads to risky choices, causing other forms of insecurity including food and health. Although there are government programs designed to provide relief to low-income households that face energy insecurity, eligibility for these programs is usually determined by household income, and those with incomes close to the threshold face uncertainty or may be left out. In many cases, these households turn to energy-limiting behaviors as a strategy to lower their electric utility bills. This paper explores the relationship between energy insecurity and energy-limiting behaviors to investigate alternative solutions that target the households that may fall out of available energy assistance programs. We explore the role of battery energy storage systems and rooftop solar photovoltaics in improving energy affordability. The results show that residential rooftop solar and behind-the-meter energy storage can offset two-thirds of the bill savings that households attain through energy-limiting behavior. Household renewable energy systems could complement existing energy assistance programs to provide long-term bill relief, enabling occupants to live in their homes with comfort and dignity. This dataset is intended to allow readers to reproduce and customize the analysis performed in this work to their benefit.

Kerby, Jessica [Pacific Northwest National Laborat↗

S-CANDELS: The Spitzer-cosmic assembly near-infrared deep extragalactic survey. Survey design, photometry, and deep IRAC source counts

The Spitzer-Cosmic Assembly Deep Near-infrared Extragalactic Legacy Survey (S-CANDELS; PI G.Fazio) is a Cycle 8 Exploration Program designed to detect galaxies at very high redshifts (z>5). To mitigate the effects of cosmic variance and also to take advantage of deep coextensive coverage in multiple bands by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Multi-cycle Treasury Program CANDELS, S-CANDELS was carried out within five widely separated extragalactic fields: the UKIDSS Ultra-deep Survey, the Extended Chandra Deep Field South, COSMOS, the HST Deep Field North, and the Extended Groth Strip. S-CANDELS builds upon the existing coverage of these fields from the Spitzer Extended Deep Survey (SEDS), a Cycle 6 Exploration Program, by increasing the integration time from SEDS’ 12 hr to a total of 50 hr but within a smaller area, 0.16 deg{sup 2}. The additional depth significantly increases the survey completeness at faint magnitudes. This paper describes the S-CANDELS survey design, processing, and publicly available data products. We present Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) dual-band 3.6+4.5 μm catalogs reaching to a depth of 26.5 AB mag. Deep IRAC counts for the roughly 135,000 galaxies detected by S-CANDELS are consistent with models based on known galaxy populations. The increase in depth beyond earlier Spitzer/IRAC surveys does not reveal a significant additional contribution from discrete sources to the diffuse Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB). Thus it remains true that only roughly half of the estimated CIB flux from COBE/DIRBE is resolved.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

ATRIUM{sup TM} 11 operating experience

AREVA NP developed the ATRIUM{sup TM}11 BWR fuel assembly to address the industry need for substantial improvements in fuel reliability and economic performance. The product development effort initially consisted of analytical design assessments and out-of-pile testing of prototype fuel assemblies and components. An integral component of the development project is a comprehensive in-pile demonstration program designed to fully exercise the new fuel assembly under a variety of operating conditions and to provide performance measurements of new design features. Fuel vendors, reactor operators, and regulators have successfully relied upon irradiation feedback derived from in-pile demonstration programs to safely introduce new features in reload quantities. The primary ATRIUM{sup TM} 11 in-pile demonstration program consists of 40 lead fuel assemblies (LFA) operating among five BWR reactors globally, covering the range of operational regimes and licensing environments necessary to confirm reload applications for the product. Since the initial irradiation in 2012, multiple pool-side inspection examinations have been performed. The inspection activities primarily focused on the new design features; including the spacer, fuel rod array, upper tie plate and fuel channel. These inspections have resulted in the collection of a substantial set of visual images, dimensional measurements, and performance feedback that are of general interest to the industry. Results from the inspections are compared to the database for existing products and to predetermined acceptance criteria. This paper provides details of the global in-pile demonstration program and the characteristics of the LFAs. Results of the inspection campaigns will be presented, including a summary of the technical assessment of specific new design features and the overall performance of the ATRIUM{sup TM} 11 product. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

LA100 Equity Strategies. Chapter 9: Equitable Community Solar Access and Benefits

The LA100 Equity Strategies project integrates community guidance with robust research, modeling, and analysis to identify strategy options that can increase equitable outcomes in Los Angeles' clean energy transition. This chapter focuses on community solar as a means to provide equitable access to local solar and storage benefits in Los Angeles. Specifically, NREL identified potential community solar sites that could host 30 kilowatts (kW)1 of solar or more and evaluated economic and equity metrics under various program design options. Analysis included a Baseline scenario (business-as-usual) and an Equity scenario, which modeled program enhancements to increase access and benefits to low-income customers. Both scenarios modeled the economics of solar and storage under the LADWP Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program (LADWP 2023b) and the LADWP Feed-in-Tariff Plus Pilot program (LADWP 2023d) compared to a community solar financial model. This research was guided by input from the community engagement process, and associated equity strategies are presented in alignment with that guidance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

SURVEILLANCE DETECTION FOR TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS PERSONNEL TO PREVENT HIJACKING, THEFT, SABOTAGE, AND MALICIOUS SECURITY EVENTS DURING TRANSPORTING NUCLEAR MATERIAL

The secure transportation of high-consequence materials, including nuclear and radiological assets, is a critical global priority in the face of escalating terrorism, security threats, and violent protests targeting these operations. Effective surveillance detection—the ability to identify, assess, and respond to potential threats across a continuum of scenarios—is paramount in addressing these challenges. This paper outlines a phased, multi-tiered training program designed to strengthen the surveillance detection capabilities of organizations responsible for nuclear material transport. The proposed training program adopts a progressive approach, gradually increasing in technical complexity to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge and tools for implementing robust security strategies. It targets a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including competent authorities, regulators, inspectors, shippers, carriers, law enforcement, and emergency response personnel, equipping them to plan, evaluate, and safeguard nuclear material transportation effectively. Each phase of the program emphasizes distinct elements of the surveillance detection continuum and transport security, focusing on critical topics such as threat identification, adversary task timelines, protective methodologies, and attack mitigation strategies. The training framework is anchored in technical exchanges and scenario-driven courses that reflect real-world complexities and challenges. By addressing the surveillance detection continuum comprehensively—from early threat assessment to active countermeasures—the program reinforces global efforts to secure nuclear assets. It aligns with international security objectives and fosters a strong security culture within participating organizations, ensuring personnel are prepared to counter potential threats and maintain the safe, secure movement of these materials. Ultimately, this initiative aims to enhance preparedness, security, and response capabilities, supporting the global mission to safeguard high-consequence materials against evolving threats.

Zineddin, Dr. Z. [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000848740725)↗

Nuclear Security Education Program at the Pennsylvania State University

The availability of trained and qualified nuclear and radiation security experts worldwide has decreased as those with hands-on experience have retired while the demand for these experts and skills have increased. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) has responded to the continued loss of technical and policy expertise amongst personnel and students in the security field by initiating the establishment of a Nuclear Security Education Initiative, in partnership with Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Texas A and M (TAMU), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This collaborative, multi-year initiative forms the basis of specific education programs designed to educate the next generation of personnel who plan on careers in the nonproliferation and security fields with both domestic and international focus. The three universities worked collaboratively to develop five core courses consistent with the GTRI mission, policies, and practices. These courses are the following: Global Nuclear Security Policies, Detectors and Source Technologies, Applications of Detectors/Sensors/Sources for Radiation Detection and Measurements Nuclear Security Laboratory, Threat Analysis and Assessment, and Design and Analysis of Security Systems for Nuclear and Radiological Facilities. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Nuclear Engineering Program is a leader in undergraduate and graduate-level nuclear engineering education in the USA. The PSU offers undergraduate and graduate programs in nuclear engineering. The PSU undergraduate program in nuclear engineering is the largest nuclear engineering programs in the USA. The PSU Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) facilities are being used for most of the nuclear security education program activities. Laboratory space and equipment was made available for this purpose. The RSEC facilities include the Penn State Breazeale Reactor (PSBR), gamma irradiation facilities (in-pool irradiator, dry irradiator, and hot cells), neutron beam laboratory, radiochemistry laboratories, and various radiation detection and measurement laboratories. A new nuclear security education laboratory was created with DOE NNSA- GTRI funds at RSEC. The nuclear security graduate level curriculum enables the PSU to educate and train future nuclear security experts, both within the United States as well as worldwide. The nuclear security education program at Penn State will grant a Master's degree in nuclear security starting fall 2015. The PSU developed two courses: Nuclear Security- Detector And Source Technologies and Nuclear Security- Applications of Detectors/Sensors/Sources for Radiation Detection and Measurements (Laboratory). Course descriptions and course topics of these courses are described briefly: - Nuclear Security - Detector and Source Technologies; - Nuclear Security - Applications of Detectors/Sensors/Sources for Radiation Detection and Measurements Laboratory.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Colorado Better Buildings Project. Final Report

The Colorado Better Buildings project intended to bring new and existing energy efficiency model programs to market with regional collaboration and funding partnerships. The goals for Boulder County and its program partners were to advance energy efficiency investments, stimulate economic growth in Colorado and advance the state’s energy independence. Collectively, three counties set out to complete 9,025 energy efficiency upgrades in 2.5 years and they succeeded in doing so. Energy efficiency upgrades have been completed in more than 11,000 homes and businesses in these communities. Boulder County and its partners received a $25 million BetterBuildings grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the summer of 2010. This was also known as the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program. With this funding, Boulder County, the City and County of Denver, and Garfield County set out to design programs for the residential and commercial sectors to overcome key barriers in the energy upgrade process. Since January 2011, these communities have paired homeowners and business owners with an Energy Advisor – an expert to help move from assessment to upgrade with minimal hassle. Pairing this step-by-step assistance with financing incentives has effectively addressed many key barriers, resulting in energy efficiency improvements and happy customers. An expert energy advisor guides the building owner through every step of the process, coordinating the energy assessment, interpreting results for a customized action plan, providing a list of contractors, and finding and applying for all available rebates and low-interest loans. In addition to the expert advising and financial incentives, the programs also included elements of social marketing, technical assistance, workforce development and contractor trainings, project monitoring and verification, and a cloud-based customer data system to coordinate among field advisors and across local governments and local service vendors. A portion of the BetterBuildings grant went to the Metro Mayors Caucus (MMC) who worked in partnership with the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) to conduct a series of 10 energy efficiency workshops for local government officials and other interested parties. The workshops helped showcase lessons learned on energy efficiency and helped guide other local governments in the establishment of similar programs. The workshops covered a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy topics such as clean energy finance, social mobilization and communications, specific case studies of Colorado towns, energy efficiency codes, net zero buildings and solar power. Since the programs launched in January 2011, these communities have collectively spurred economic investments in energy efficiency, achieved greater than 5:1 leveraging of grant funds, saved energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, provided trainings for a robust local energy contractor network, and proved out viable and replicable program models that local utilities and other communities are adopting, with long lasting market transformation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Challenge Solutions for a Significant Water Cut Reduction History Match on Heavy Oil Polymer EOR

Milne Point Field is conducting the first-ever active polymer flood pilot program designed to enhance oil recovery (EOR) of heavy oils on the Alaska North Slope (ANS). The experimental field program consists of two pairs of horizontal injection and production wells deployed in an isolated fault block in the Schrader Bluff reservoir. The EOR method combines polymer flooding and low salinity water flooding to improve recovery. Prior average water cut reduction in polymer EOR fields ordinarily ranges between 10% to 15% for most light oil and heavy oil reservoirs. When comparing other field applications, the long-lasting (24 months) and much lower water cut poses a challenge for numerical history matching when applying typical simulation methods. This abstract discusses two practical new approaches used for history matching of the long-lasting ultralow water cut. These new applications include 1) multiple relative permeability curves with J-function incorporation with low endpoints of relative permeability of water (Krw). This approach integrated the permeability differential adjustment in the geometries of horizontal and vertical directions based on geological review. 2) A specific permeability channel strips along with the horizontal or vertical planar assumption. The current history matching results indicate success in achieving an excellent agreement with the field observed low water-cut.

Namie, S.↗

Reducing Energy Use in Existing Homes by 30%: Learning From Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

The improvement of existing homes in the United States can have a much greater impact on overall residential energy use than the construction of highly efficient new homes. There are over 130 million existing housing units in the U.S., while annually new construction represents less than two percent of the total supply (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). Therefore, the existing housing stock presents a clear opportunity and responsibility for Building America (BA) to guide the remodeling and retrofit market toward higher performance existing homes. There are active programs designed to improve the energy performance of existing homes. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR ® (HPwES) is a market-rate program among them. BARA's research in this project verified that the New Jersey HPwES program is achieving savings in existing homes that meet or exceed BA's goal of 30%. Among the 17 HPwES projects with utility data included in this report, 15 have actual energy savings ranging from 24% to 46%. Further, two of the homes achieved that level of energy savings without the costly replacement of heating and cooling equipment, which indicates that less costly envelope packages could be offered to consumers unable to invest in more costly mechanical packages, potentially creating broader market impact.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Reducing Energy Use in Existing Homes by 30%: Learning From Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

The improvement of existing homes in the United States can have a much greater impact on overall residential energy use than the construction of highly efficient new homes. There are over 130 million existing housing units in the U.S., while annually new construction represents less than two percent of the total supply (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). Therefore, the existing housing stock presents a clear opportunity and responsibility for Building America (BA) to guide the remodeling and retrofit market toward higher performance existing homes. There are active programs designed to improve the energy performance of existing homes. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) is a market-rate program among them. BARA's research in this project verified that the New Jersey HPwES program is achieving savings in existing homes that meet or exceed BA's goal of 30%. Among the 17 HPwES projects with utility data included in this report, 15 have actual energy savings ranging from 24% to 46%. Further, two of the homes achieved that level of energy savings without the costly replacement of heating and cooling equipment, which indicates that less costly envelope packages could be offered to consumers unable to invest in more costly mechanical packages, potentially creating broader market impact.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Energy Efficiency Finance Programs: Use Case Analysis to Define Data Needs and Guidelines

There are over 200 energy efficiency loan programs—across 49 U.S. states—administered by utilities, state/local government agencies, or private lenders.1 This distributed model has led to significant variation in program design and implementation practices including how data is collected and used. The challenge of consolidating and aggregating data across independently administered programs has been illustrated by a recent pilot of an open source database for energy efficiency financing program data. This project was led by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Investor Confidence Project, the Clean Energy Finance Center (CEFC), and the University of Chicago. This partnership discussed data collection practices with a number of existing energy efficiency loan programs and identified four programs that were suitable and willing to participate in the pilot database (Diamond 2014).2 The partnership collected information related to ~12,000 loans with an aggregate value of ~$100M across the four programs. Of the 95 data fields collected across the four programs, 30 fields were common between two or more programs and only seven data fields were common across all programs. The results of that pilot study illustrate the inconsistencies in current data definition and collection practices among energy efficiency finance programs and may contribute to certain barriers.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Community Solar Subscription Credit Considerations and Case Study

Together New Orleans (TNO) requested technical assistance through the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP). The National Community Solar Partnership is a coalition of community solar stakeholders working to expand access to affordable community solar to every U.S. household and enable subscribers and their communities to realize meaningful benefits, such as reduced energy burden, increased resilience, community ownership, and equitable workforce development. TNO asked for a subject matter expert from NCSP to review the Entergy New Orleans (ENO) proposed revised Rate Schedule for Community Solar Generating Facilities. TNO requested that the proposed methodology for subscription credits for applicable residential and non-residential rate schedules be reviewed to determine the expected credit rate. The aim behind the analysis is to provide TNO and engaged stakeholders with an informed understanding of the proposed rate schedule before making decisions on the appropriate rate design for community solar (CS) subscriptions. This report is an exploration of CS subscription credit rate calculation considerations using the CS program in New Orleans as a case study. The report provides a framework for modeling CS credit rates in addition to topics that may be helpful to address when undertaking program design or rule making.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

FITEVT: A FORTRAN program for arrival-time analysis of nuclear-decay events

FITEVT is a FORTRAN program designed to analyze recorded arrival times of nuclear-decay events affected by dead-time. Here, the primary goal of the program is precise and accurate determination of half-lives. Its method involves imposition of a known sufficiently long extending dead-time to the recorded event sequence, so that the original dead-time effects are completely obliterated and the remaining live-times of the survived events are known exactly. Upon completion of the analysis, the arrival-time spectrum and the live-time spectrum are predicted and compared to those constructed from the survived events.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗